Several former UNC basketball stars opted out before the 2024-2025 NBA season

With the NBA preseason over, organizations across the league must finalize their respective rosters before the regular season begins on October 22nd.

A handful of former UNC basketball standouts have been affected by the roster cuts, as four Tar Heels have been let go since the preseason ended Friday night.

Cormac Ryan was waived by the Oklahoma City Thunder. He was on an Exhibit 10 contract with the franchise during the preseason.

Armando Bacot was also waived because, like Ryan, he was also on an Exhibit 10 deal.

It’s important to note that while most Exhibit 10 players are released, they ultimately end up with that team’s G League affiliate. While it would have been great if one (or both) of them had cracked the main roster at the start of the season, the most likely option would have been to start the year in the G-League.

After signing a two-way contract in February, Pete Nance was released by the Cleveland Cavaliers. The former Tar Heel played most of the 2023-2024 season for the Cleveland Charge before earning a chance to join the team’s main roster, where he played in eight NBA contests.

The most surprising thing might be the Miami Heat waiving Nassir Little. Miami signed Little to a contract on September 24, but his time with the franchise didn’t last long.

While it’s unfortunate that these former UNC basketball stars didn’t find their way onto NBA rosters, there are still plenty of opportunities for them to prove their worth. Whether they’re competing in the G-League or in some cases (like Little) waiting for another NBA opportunity to arise, these guys are ready to play whenever their number is called for.